Language
EnglishFull degrees taught in English
01 — Overview
Why Sri Lankan students choose Latvia
A small Baltic country with a long habit of teaching in English — and one of the shortest routes into Europe from Colombo.
Latvia sits on the Baltic coast between Estonia and Lithuania, inside both the European Union and the Schengen area. Its universities have taught international students in English for decades, and its degrees carry ECTS credits recognised across all 27 EU member states.
The practical appeal for Sri Lankan students is specific. The residence permit is filed at VFS Colombo, so there is no New Delhi appointment to arrange. Students may work up to 20 hours a week alongside their studies. And Riga is a walkable capital of roughly 600,000 people, small enough that students cycle to campus rather than commute.
Ahasa represents five Latvian institutions directly. We handle the application, the documentation and the residence permit from our offices in Colombo and Kurunegala, and our founders built this firm out of Latvia — it is the country we know best.
- 01English-taught degrees across medicine, business, IT, engineering and maritime studies.
- 02EU-recognised qualifications under the Bologna framework and the ECTS credit system.
- 03Part-time work rights of up to twenty hours a week.
- 04Visa filed in Colombo, with no third-country appointment required.
- 05Schengen mobility across twenty-nine countries on your residence permit.
- 06A post-study job search of nine to twelve months after you graduate.
- 07Among the lowest costs in the EU, for both tuition and daily living.
- 08A safe, compact capital with an established South Asian community.
02 — Institutions
The five universities we represent
Riga · Featured
Riga Stradiņš University
Latvia’s leading health sciences university and the country’s best-known destination for international medical students. Medicine and dentistry are taught entirely in English, with clinical training in Riga’s teaching hospitals.
JelgavaLBTU — Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
Housed in the Jelgava Palace. Agritech, veterinary medicine, food technology and the bioeconomy — fields with direct relevance to Sri Lanka’s export sectors.
- Riga
EKA — University of Economics and Culture
Latvia’s leading private university, teaching business, management, IT and game design in English, with a practical, project-led approach to assessment.
- Riga
University of Latvia
The country’s largest and oldest public university, founded in 1919, with a research profile spanning the sciences, computing, humanities and social sciences.
- Riga
Novikontas Maritime College
Maritime training with direct placement into international shipping. Graduates join crews on vessels operated by European and global shipping lines.
Missed September? See which universities start in February →
03 — At a glance
The facts, in one place
Capital
Riga
Language of instruction
English
Currency
Euro
Bachelor’s
3–4 years
Master’s
1–2 years
Medicine
6 years
Credit system
ECTS · Bologna
Visa route
VFS Colombo
Intakes
On enquiry
Work rights
What you are allowed to work
20
Hours a week while you study.
29
Schengen countries open to you on your residence permit.
9–12
Months to look for work after you graduate.
After
Dependents may join once studies conclude.
04 — Entry
What Latvia asks you for
Requirements vary by institution and by programme. These are the documents every file needs.
- Completed secondary education, or equivalent, for bachelor’s entry
- A recognised bachelor’s degree for master’s entry
- Academic transcripts, translated and attested
- Evidence of English proficiency
- Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity
- Statement of purpose or motivation letter
- Financial documentation for the residence permit
- Health insurance valid in Latvia
Send us your transcripts
We will tell you what is missing and which programmes you qualify for.
05 — Costs
What a year in Latvia actually costs
Latvia is consistently among the least expensive destinations in the European Union.
Tuition varies widely by field. A business or IT bachelor’s sits at one end of the range and medicine at the other, and each university sets its own fees — listed above wherever our partners publish them.
Living costs depend on the city, on whether you take university accommodation or a private flat, and on how much you cook. The residence permit carries its own financial requirement, set by Latvia’s migration authority and reviewed periodically.
We prepare a written cost estimate for every student we work with. Tuition for your specific programme, realistic monthly costs for the city you will actually live in, the current requirement for the permit, and the scholarships you may be eligible for. Built around your circumstances rather than a generic table — and there is no charge for it.
06 — Living
Three years in Riga
Riga holds around a third of Latvia’s population and almost all of its international student community. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site; the rest of the city is a mix of nineteenth-century Art Nouveau streets and modern districts, small enough that most students walk, cycle or take a single tram to campus.
Outside the capital, Latvia is largely forest and coastline. Roughly half the country is woodland, and the Baltic beaches at Jūrmala are half an hour away by train. Winters are cold and dark; summers are long and bright.
There is an established Sri Lankan and wider South Asian community in Riga, with halal food and South Asian groceries available in the city. Universities run orientation programmes for international students, and English is widely spoken across the university system.
07 — Our work
What we handle for Latvia
- 01University and programme selection
- 02Application filing and follow-up
- 03Statement of purpose guidance
- 04Document preparation and attestation
- 05Financial documentation review
- 06Scholarship search
- 07Residence permit filing at VFS Colombo
- 08Accommodation support in Riga
- 09Pre-departure briefing
- 10On-arrival registration support
08 — Questions
What students ask us
Can I study in Latvia in English?
Yes. All five institutions we represent teach full degree programmes in English, including medicine and dentistry at Riga Stradiņš University. You do not need Latvian to complete your degree, though most students pick some up.
Where is the student visa processed for Sri Lankans?
At VFS in Colombo. That is a practical advantage over several other European destinations — the Czech Republic and Cyprus among them — which require Sri Lankan applicants to attend an appointment in New Delhi.
Can I work while studying?
Yes. Students may work up to 20 hours a week alongside their studies, according to Latvia’s Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs.
Can I stay in Latvia after I graduate?
Yes. Graduates can apply for a job-search permit of nine to twelve months, which allows you to remain in Latvia and look for work related to your qualification.
Can my spouse or family join me?
Dependents can join once your studies conclude rather than during them. If bringing family during your degree is a priority, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Spain allow dependents with work rights — we represent all four and can walk you through the comparison.
Are Latvian degrees recognised internationally?
Yes. Latvia is part of the Bologna Process and uses the ECTS credit system, so qualifications are recognised across the European Higher Education Area and transfer readily for further study or professional registration.
Can I travel elsewhere in Europe on my permit?
Yes. Latvia is a full member of the Schengen area, so your residence permit allows short-stay travel across the zone without a separate visa.
How long do Latvian degrees take?
Bachelor’s programmes generally run three to four years, master’s one to two, and medicine six. Veterinary medicine and some engineering programmes have their own durations — we will confirm for the programme you are considering.
How much will it cost me in total?
That depends on the programme, the university and the city, and a generic figure would mislead you. We prepare a written estimate for each student — tuition, living costs, permit requirements and any scholarships you qualify for — at no charge. Request yours here.
Is Latvia a safe place to study?
Yes. Latvia is an EU member state with low violent crime, and Riga is a compact capital where students routinely walk and use public transport at night. Universities run their own international student support and orientation services.
10 — Elsewhere
Fifteen other countries
🇱🇰 For Sri Lankan Students
Apply from Sri Lanka, hassle-free
Here is exactly what you need to qualify from Sri Lanka, and how Ahasa handles the entire process for you.
📝 Entry Requirements
Bachelor’s Degrees: You will need your G.C.E. O/Level and A/Level certificates. Universities in Latvia generally require at least 3 passes at A/Levels.
Master’s Degrees: A recognized Bachelor’s degree from a Sri Lankan university.
Note: All academic documents must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo. Our team will guide you on how to get this done quickly.
🗣️ English Proficiency
To study in Latvia, IELTS (usually 5.5 – 6.5 overall) or PTE Academic are strongly recommended for a smooth visa approval. We will advise you on the exact score needed for your chosen university.
🛂 Visa Process & VFS Colombo
Sri Lankan students must apply for a Long-Stay (Type D) visa and Residence Permit. Do not worry about the complex paperwork—we handle your university invitation and prepare you for your VFS Global appointment in Colombo. We also prepare you for any online video interviews required by the embassy.
💡 Why Apply with Ahasa?
We are official university representatives in Sri Lanka. That means we do not charge any agency or consultation fees. You only pay your official university tuition and standard visa application costs.
